Routing platforms include a motherboard having a host processor and various slave devices such as Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Microprocessors, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Also, many motherboards include a slot for holding a Packet Voice Data Module (PVDM).
Communication between the host processor and the slave devices is generally accomplished utilizing proprietary, specialized interfaces for each device. For example, some devices have proprietary interfaces, others have synchronous or non-synchronous interfaces. Additionally, direct communication between slaves without host processor intervention has not been available.
Another problem has been facilitating host processor transfers to large memories controlled by the slave devices. It is not practical for the host processor to map each of these slave spaces.
Accordingly, a generic bus system providing efficient communication between the host processor and slave modules, efficient memory usage, and inter-slave communication is required.